Graphic analysis for the study of metabolic states

Graphic analyses have been used in the study of physiology as a means to better understand dynamic processes and to visualize the mechanisms of their interactions. A graphic analysis of glucose homeostasis was constructed by considering the main factors that influence glucose dynamics. The analysis is achieved by equating curves representing both the inflow and outflow of glucose from the circulation as dependent upon the serum insulin concentration. The point where these two curves intersect is the steady-state balance for blood glucose exchange and is termed the equilibrium point. With the use of this graphic depiction of glucose homeostasis, it is now possible to study the influence of multiple factors on glucose dynamics. A variety of metabolic states can also be analyzed by reconstructing the effects of the pathophysiology on the form and shape of the curves. Some of the metabolic states that have been analyzed by this technique include starvation, exercise, obesity, type I and type II diabetes mellitus, stress, hypopituitarism, hyperpituitarism, and hyperthyroidism. Although the analyses do not reflect all of the controversial nuances of the field, they do provide a means for a general approach to the study of glucose homeostasis and serve as a methodology that can be extrapolated to many areas of physiological study.